Sometimes when you look for that one specific book, you find it within moments.

Sometimes you find what Sam is finding, a whole lot of confusion and a whole lot of dust. Obviously, this section of the shop isn't popular.

The occult section. The 'special' occult section.

The real one.

She's not dressed for the weather, green tank top and jeans, having decided that if she's going to look for supernatural books she might as well give up on looking 'normal' while doing so.

Her auburn-copper hair is pulled back in a ponytail, though artful tendrils have 'escaped' from it and it 'accidentally' covers the tips of her ears. She's skimming through book after book from a set of three stacks, and then putting them down in a fourth. She's blocking the aisle.

And there's a voice in the back of her mind (that sounds remarkably like her sister), reminding her how long it's going to take to get this dust out of everything and shouldn't she being doing schoolwork right now?

Taryn is wandering through the bookstore, looking for something she has yet to read--which isn't hard, given the size of Jacobson's--and that looks rather interesting. That's a bit harder, given that half of these books seem to be about things that she's never heard of.

She has a jacket draped over her arm, given that it's far warmer inside than outside, and she dislikes getting overheated, and is walking sideways, looking at the spines of the books curiously.

Funny, she hasn't been in this section before.

... hey, books on magic.

Her boyfriend does magic. It could be fun to surprise him by learning some of her own... So she pulls a book out and flips through it. It's fascinating. So fascinating, in fact, that she's reading it and not paying any attention to her surroundings as she wanders...

"Oops, sorry." Blush. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Oh, god, no, I was in the way, don't worry about it."

Sam's stammering and getting out of Taryn's way, as if she wasn't just tripped over.

...girl is messed in the head. We've covered this, mm?

Look at the books she's got - old things, new things, mythology.

Look at the way tripping over her messed her hair up enough that you can see the tips of her ears.

"No, hey, my fault."

Oou, books!

"Reading up on something?" Tilt head so she can see what the books are. "Oh, hey, mythology. Cool. Greek or Norse or Celtic or what?"

Taryn is a fantasy nerd.

This includes mythology, if you can't tell.

"Um, kinda."

Sam's busy reorganizing the books so that they won't take over the entire aisle, and not looking up at Taryn because she tripped her and that's rude and god but Sam is an idiot.

"I really don't know. I'm kinda researching elves, but... I'm not exactly a fantasy type."

Nothing against fantasy types. She was just raised so incredibly, incredibly secularly.

Materialistically, even.

"Real elves or fictional ones?"

It sounds like a joke, and most people would take it as a joke.

Taryn, however, has met multiple creatures she had thought existed only in her favorite books, and therefore, it's not entirely a joke.

Taryn is sneaky like that.

"Don't think you'll find any elves in Greek mythology, or Norse, but Celtic, yeah. Sidhe and stuff."

Sam... pauses.

Freezes, actually, just for a second, and then pretends it didn't happen.

And takes a breath, and checks that the hair is covering the ears, and it isn't. Ouch. She readjusts the hair, recovers the telltale points.

"As real as elves get," she says quietly, with a furtive smile, because it really should be a joking matter.

"What's Sidhe?" As she sorts through the books she hasn't checked for that one she vaguely remembers grabbing that had the word Celt on the cover. She thought she grabbed it, anyway....

"Um... Fair Folk, fairies, elves... Heh. I know a guy who'd get all over me for equating fairies and fae with elves."

That would be Jay. He was a bit firm on the subject when she commented, before.

"He'd know more about the specifics than I do. Haven't seen him in a while, though."

Which is a bit sad. Jay's quite nice to have as a friend, especially since he's quite safe.

"He researches this kind of thing?"

Absentmindedly, because she's leafing through the Celtic book.

Fear her multitasking talents.

"I think he just kind of learned it at home."

No kidding.

Given that he's a fae, and quite proud of it. Though whether he's prouder of his orientation or his species is something she can't quite figure out.

"I like this stuff, but I don't know enough about it."

She's working on mending that.

Pause.

"Not to be, um, crazy or anything, but... are we talking about the same thing here? I mean, really?"

Sam could only deal with this much double-meaning for so long, you see.

"If we are, I kinda learned about it... all... like, two days ago. I don't think I can be much help."

As in, knows nothing.

It's kinda disturbing that she thinks in terms of how she can help Taryn, rather than the other way around.

Taryn laughs.

"Yes, we probably are. Actually, I was thinking I could help you. I haven't seen Jay around, but my boyfriend does magic stuff, his dad's into it too and I ran across a book by the guy not long ago, so he probably can tell you anything you want to know, and I know a couple other people who might be better help than me."

Shrug.

"See, I learned about it a few months ago, so I'm not entirely stabbing in the dark."

"God, it's a subculture."

...you can tell she's a strange child when she uses subculture in conversation and means it.

"I feel like I'm joining a cult." Sigh. "Still, can't be all bad."

'Teo is part of it, after all.

"... yeah, I guess it is. Subculture of subcultures, even."

Shrug.

"I dunno, I kind of always wished that magic and things were real. I get to college, lo and behold, they are. Only it's not all great, and it kind of screws with your head at first."

Read: screws with your head a very great deal, especially when one's entire belief system is rendered obsolete.

"Especially when the first supernatural critter you meet is one creepy bastard." And she's shivering.

Memory, see.

And she controls herself, stops trembling, but she is not getting over that whole thing easily.

Can't imagine why she can't just shrug it off.

"God, I know exactly what you mean."

Not to insult Alice, but I think Az beats him for creepiness hands down.

Shiver, shiver.

"At least, first supernatural being I met that I knew was supernatural. I met Jay before that, but he's pretty good at pretending he's human."

Sam thinks about it, and nods.

"Same thing for me, kinda. I... have this friend, and he's kinda a faun. Hooves? You know? I had no idea. But then it turns out, yeah, faun."

She really needs to take public speaking lessons. A few less awkward pauses and things phrased as questions and fragments would do her wonders.

"And I always knew I was adopted, but I had no idea I was part of a different species."

Kinda freaky.

Kinda very very freaky, honestly.

And she's telling Taryn this, why? Because Taryn has complete-stranger appeal. It doesn't matter what Sam tells her.

"I know a faun, a faery, a fae--yes, there's a difference--a guy who can turn into a wolf through some means I'm not quite sure about... um..."

When it gets to the point that your supernatural acquaintances become difficult to remember them all, then you can probably say you are very innish indeed.

"Oh yeah. And I met a god. Once. And I never, ever want to meet him again."

She is totally going to pass on Jay's warnings about deities.

"You met a god?"

Sam is confused.

For the record, Sam is Christian in the sense that the entire family dragged itself to church every sunday and slept through all the sermons, for appearance's sake.

Sam tried to pay attention and be a good girl, but none of it ever really made any sense to her.

She'll deal with the rest later.

"Met is sort of too tame a word, but yeah. Really, really, really creepy, as in read your mind and mess with your head and just... Creepy." That pause? Stifled language.

Pause.

"So, if you ever meet someone with white eyes, electric blue ones without pupils, blood red ones, silver fingernails, a maroon stripe across his face like this, or... um... eyes speckled with stars... or glowing skin, then you be very polite, don't show fear, and get away as soon as you can."

"...okay then."

Sam isn't sure how to take this new dose of 'things not to do'.

She supposes she'll obey it like she obeys all social injunctions.

"I bet my roommate is a werewolf." Pause. "I'm in Keaton, for the record."

Yes, that was random.

"Darcy isn't a werewolf, he's got some other way to change into a wolf. That said, I'm in Keaton too, and I'm pretty sure my roomie is as normal as they come."

Shrug.

"I'm not sure, because we don't actually talk, you see. I'm in when she's out and vice versa."

"Beth has informed me in no uncertain terms that if I'm in our room during the full moon I can expect to have my throat torn out."

Pause.

"Which is why I think she's a werewolf, see. I guess I'll camp out in the library or something next week."

Lovely roommate, wouldn't you say?

Taryn shivers.

"You can camp out in my room."

... yes, she just made that offer to a complete stranger.

But hey, girl, and pretty harmless, and dear god, she's rooming with a werewolf.

"I mean, god, I'd ask, like, Matteo or someone, but I don't even know where he lives, and, like, I don't know, that'd be weird." She's kinda babbling. "And Jetta would kill me if I tried playing the pity card. I mean, not literally, but, god."

She isn't, for the record. Playing the pity card. But according to her family, acting like a normal, relatively sane person in a bad situation is asking for free handouts and to be scorned.

And she still needs public speaking lessons.

"I just said you could camp out with me." Grin. "My roommate would be all shocked that I actually had a life outside of the computer and class and books."

Pause.

"Jetta...?"

... she seems to remember a mention of a certain Jetta who was very nasty to Darcy. Something about getting pregnant by somebody else while dating him.

"Um. Yes? Jetta. Goes to Keaton. I don't know her last name...."

Sam's certain she's done something wrong (again).

Sam needs to grow some self esteem.

Stat.

"Oh, it's just that there's this girl that I've never met who's name is Jetta and she kind of screwed over a friend of mine."

That's all. Nothing to do with Sam.

"Probably not even the same person."

Yeah, right.

Pause. "Knowing Jetta... it probably is the same person." Sam looks away, down, oh look a book to pay attention to.

Sigh.

"Which is why I wouldn't really want to ask if I could stay at her place for a night."

Shivery just to think about it. The presumptiousness. What Jetta would think. And say. And do.

Eek.

"So... why hang out with her, then?"

Taryn is confused.

She avoids people that make her upset to be around, you see, and this Jetta person she has heard about seems like the type to make her very upset.

Given that Darcy is a sweetheart and did not deserve what she did to him.

"I...."

Sam has no answer.

"She's my friend." Sam is obligated. Friend means that she has to act like a good friend.

No matter what the other person acts like.

"Not that that's an answer, but... god, I don't know. I just do. She is nice... sometimes...."

Weak, Sam. Weak.

Taryn thinks about this.

"Well, when my best friend--ex-best friend--stabbed me in the back, I can tell you that we didn't stay friends any more."

Pause.

"I dunno. I mean, I just met you, and..." Blink. "I don't even know your name, and I'm giving you advice and trying to mother you."

She laughs at herself a little.

"I'm Taryn."

"I don't mind. Really. The advice, I mean. It makes sense, I just.... Owe her."

Pause.

"Ohmygod. You're 'Teo's friend! Wow. I. I'm Sam. He's the faun I mentioned."

Another pause. "Did he tell you what he did?" In tones of Confidence.

What can I say? Sam's a gossip.

"No... What did he do?"

Taryn is confused, and curious, and also, she likes to know things about her friends.

She doesn't spread it around, though. Just keeps it to herself.

Unless it's potentially damaging.

"He got hit. By a car. And then he waited a week before seeing a doctor."

Sam still thinks that's completely insane. For the record.

Seriously. Car accident. Pain. This equals seeing a doctor, you see.

"Oh, god, is he okay? Now, I mean, since he's apparently been to the doctor, even if it was a week after..."

Taryn babbles when she's worried.

Also, if 'Teo is hurt, how will she ever convince him to sing for her?

Sam hastens to reassure.

"Yeah, yeah, he's fine, really, I didn't mean to imply that, it wasn't major or anything, just his ribs or something, the doctor fixed it. And the doctor knew, like, magic-doctoring or something as well, so he must have gotten it right."

Sam is willing to tentatively say Alan isn't a complete twit.

Oh, that's nice.

"Oh, good."

Phew. Taryn is relieved, and this makes her giddy.

"He's a complete sweetheart, and I'd feel terrible if anything happened to him."

"Yeah, he is."

The amazing amazingness of Matteo knows no bounds.

And then?

Awkward silence. At least on Sam's part.

She fiddles with the books again, and starts putting her discards back on the shelves.

"So, yeah, you're going to need to know how to find me, if you're going to camp out in my dorm room on full moon nights."

Thus, she pulls a notebook out of her amazingly amazing purse, which is quite big enough for that and a sketchbook and numerous other objects, and tears a page out and writes contact information.

"And I'll see if I can find Jay and wrangle some more information about elves and fae and faeries."